Subjonctif après les verbes de sentiment

To use the subjunctive, you need a specific recipe. First, you need a person feeling something. Second, you need the word que. This word acts like a bridge. Third, you need a different person doing an action. This is the golden rule of the subjunctive. You need two different subjects. For example: "I am happy that you are here." I am the first subject (the feeler). You are the second subject (the doer). Without two different people, the bridge collapses. If I say "I am happy to be here," we don't use the subjunctive. We only use it when the emotion travels from one person to another. The bridge que is mandatory. You cannot skip it like we often skip "that" in English. In French, the bridge must stay strong. Once you cross that bridge, the next verb must be in the subjunctive form. It signals to the listener: "Hey, the first part of this sentence was an emotion!"

1. 1Building the subjunctive is like a construction project. Most verbs follow a very steady pattern. Follow these three simple steps to build almost any verb:
2. 2Start with the ils or elles form of the present tense.
3. 3Chop off the -ent ending to find your base.
4. 4Add the special subjunctive endings to that base.
5. 5The endings are: -e, -es, -e, -ions, -iez, -ent. For the verb parler, the ils form is parlent. Drop the -ent and you get parl-. Now add your endings: que je parle, que tu parles, qu'il parle. For nous and vous, it looks exactly like the imparfait. This is great news because you already know those! Just remember that some verbs are rebels. Verbs like être, avoir, and faire have their own special shapes. Think of them as the "celebrities" of grammar. They don't follow the normal rules, but you see them everywhere. You will need to memorize those few exceptions, but the rest are easy.

You use the subjunctive after verbs that express a "heart state." This includes joy, sadness, fear, anger, and regret. If you are happy someone called, use it. If you are afraid it will rain, use it. Common triggers include être content que (to be happy that) and avoir peur que (to be afraid that). You also use it for surprise, like être surpris que. Imagine you are at a job interview. You might say, "I am happy that your company is growing." That is Je suis heureux que votre entreprise grandisse. Or imagine you are at a restaurant. You might say, "I regret that you don't have the fish." That is Je regrette que vous n'ayez pas le poisson. Anytime your heart is involved in the first part of the sentence, the second part needs the subjunctive. It is the language of connection. It shows you care about the action happening.

This is the part where many people get tripped up. Do not use the subjunctive if there is only one subject. If you are the one feeling and the one acting, use the infinitive. For example, "I am happy to go" is Je suis content d'aller. There is no que here. There is no second person. It is just you and your feelings. Another trap is the verb espérer (to hope). Even though hope feels like an emotion, French treats it as a probability. After espérer, we use the normal present or future tense. It is a weird quirk of the language. Just remember: Hope is a rebel! Also, avoid the subjunctive if you are stating a cold, hard fact without emotion. "I know that you are here" uses the indicative because "knowing" isn't a feeling. It is a head thing, not a heart thing.

One big mistake is using the indicative after an emotion. You might want to say Je suis triste que tu pars. This is wrong! It must be Je suis triste que tu partes. It feels like a small change, but it sounds very "off" to a French ear. Another mistake is forgetting the que. In English, we say "I'm glad you're here." In French, you must say "I'm glad THAT you're here." Never drop the bridge! Many people also forget to change the stem for verbs like boire or prendre. Remember to go to the ils form first. If you use the je form as your base, you will get the wrong stem. Finally, don't over-use it. Don't use it just because a sentence feels "fancy." Only use it when the specific triggers (Emotion + Que + New Subject) are all present. It is a precision tool, not a decoration.

Let's compare the Subjunctive with the Infinitive. The Infinitive is your best friend when life is simple. Je suis ravi de te voir (I am delighted to see you). One subject, no que, no stress. The Subjunctive is for when life gets social. Je suis ravi que tu sois là (I am delighted that you are here). Two subjects, one bridge, more complexity. Think of the Infinitive as a solo performance and the Subjunctive as a duet. You should also contrast it with the Indicative. The Indicative is for the truth. "It is raining." The Subjunctive is for your reaction to the truth. "I am annoyed that it is raining." The fact (rain) stays the same, but your relationship to that fact changes the grammar. It is the difference between being a robot and being a human.